14th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)

The 14^th Conference of the Parties (COP 14) to the United Nations to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) took place from the 02^nd to 13^th September in India. “Restore Life, Sustain Future’” was the chosen theme for this 14^th Conference of the Parties. Seychelles ratified the Convention in 1997 and since then the Country through different schemes has undertaken several donor funded projects relating to land degradation project. The latter include those relating to Coastal erosion adaptation and rehabilitation programs, capacity building on Sustainable land Management and the development and implementation of Land Use Plans,

The COP’s High Level Segment was officially opened on Monday 9^th September by India’s Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi. Parties to the Convention have agreed to make the Sustainable Development Goal target of achieving land degradation neutrality by 2030 a national target for action. Ministers also adopted the New Delhi Declaration “Investing in Land and Unlocking Opportunities”, the declaration consist of a series of 35 decisions. India the host of COP 14 announced its commitment to enhance implementation of the UNCCD among other actions. During COP 14, three ministerial roundtables and three high-level interactive dialogues as well as exchanges with representatives of civil society organizations (CSOs), the youth and the private sector.

The country parties discussed on the implementation modalities of the Convention for the next two years. More than 8,000 participants including more than 100 ministers and high-level officials attended the COP.

Seychelles were represented at the COP by Minister Wallace Cosgrow, Minister for Environment Energy and Climate Change (who attended the high-level segment from 09^th to 11^th September.  Mrs. Nanette Laure (The UNCCD National Focal Point for Seychelles) and Mr. John Quilindo (UNCCD Alternate Focal Point for Seychelles).  Mr. Selby Pillay (Seychelles Ambassador to India) also joined the Seychelles delegation at the official opening of the high Level Segment of the COP on the 09^th September.